Events and Educational Seminars

AHA holds regular events, educational seminars and judging exams.

2018 Events

On 21st April the AHA hosted another successful Hound Day event – this time entitled Memoirs, Mentors and Mayhem. An excellent turnout with just over 60 attendees and a full committee on top packed the Hall to capacity. This was a fun filled sunny day which started with historic archives on display. Next our speaker, Roberta Hall (Saxonmill), led a super and sometimes riotous interactive session on “What makes a Good Mentor.” There were some excellent discussions and feedback activities. Then a chance to go over some dogs that you might not have looked at before – an Afghan, a Silken Windhound and a Standard Wire Haired Dachshund were our willing models with their expert owners to explain the finer points.

Then to the usual fantastic lunch prepared by our AHA Bistro Team. After this we spent the afternoon on the field. Melinda Hitch who had an extremely busy afternoon arranging the fun classes and getting the exhibits in to the ring. This gave an opportunity for mentees and mentors to put in to practice some of the ideas from the morning. Alongside, we had our Obreedience competition expertly run by Muriel Boydell (Warrenoak). After much fun and laughter – Team Blue Girls must be congratulated on becoming our Obreedience Champions 2018. A good day was had by all and our sincere thanks to the committee and our helpers for all their hard work and to all those who supported the day, some who are now ‘regulars’ at this annual event. See you next year!

obreedience well matched team mmm busy seminar

2017 Events

The Afghan Hound Association (AHA) held a very successful marathon day on 28th October 2017. The day started with a short introduction by our Chairman, Susan Rhodes, as to how the breed has developed over the years even before Afghan Hounds were first introduced into this country.

This was followed by our main Seminar speaker, past Chairman Mark Cocozza. Mark gave the attendees a very in depth view of what to remember about Afghan Hounds and how to present them in the best light in the Show ring. He also gave some definite no-no's as to coat presentation! Following Mark's lecture, attendees had an opportunity to ask questions.

There then followed a 'Hands-on' mentoring session led by a number of Championship show judges. As the AHA are part of the pilot trailing the new JCF we then held a Breed specific Multi Choice exam. We also welcomed some CC judges in other breeds and they all enjoyed their day and were very complimentary. Following lunch there followed a Breed Assessment exam where we had seven candidates. Of those seven, four passed and they are: David Bell, Michaela Hills, David Knights and Cindy Wilson, so congratulations to them. We would like to express our thanks to all who took part in making such a success of the day, especially our guest Mentors Roberta Hall, Dee Milligan-Bott and Liz Millward and also our Breed Assessment panel of Monica Booth-Thompson, Jeff Bunney, Mary Davies, Mary Fisher and chairman Susan Rhodes.

It turned out to be a long day and thanks also has to go to all the committee who attended and helped. It is amazing that we have such a loyal and hard working group of people. Last and by no means least, without the presence of several Afghan Hounds acting as exhibits for the mentoring session and Breed Assessment exam we could not have held these events. So many thanks to their owners and handlers for bringing them to our education day.

2015 Events

On Easter Saturday the Afghan Hound Association repeated at Newbury their popular Spotlight on Sighthounds event, this year featuring Borzois, Deerhounds, Greyhounds, Afghans, Salukis, Azawakhs, Pharoahs and Cirneco dell Etna. A full house enjoyed a morning of short talks, a splendid lunch and plenty of time for discussion. The afternoon on a windy field featured a very homemade Fit for Function Fun Rally course with such tests as the Snow Leopard test, the Mountain test and the Aloofness test. Unfortunately the Tunnel test did not survive the wind long and was blown flat. Most hounds present had a go and were joined by a few ‘pretend sighthounds’. It provided a lot of laughs but also plenty of chances to see the dogs move around the course. Eventual winner was an Afghan, runner-up a Border Collie and Effort Prize to a Cirneco. This event has been successful in allowing people to make connections between breeds and hopefully many new friends.

2014 Events

Spotlight on Sight-hounds

5/04/14

In Chieveley on Saturday 5th April the Afghan Hound Association broke new ground by holding a day for Sighthound enthusiasts to explore the essential characteristics of their breed and to discover the unique differences between them. A panel of experienced guest speakers gave an insight into eight sighthound breeds, Irish Wolfhounds, Borzois, Sloughis, Whippets, Greyhounds, Afghan Hounds, Salukis and Ibizan Hounds with a guest appearance from a veteran Cirnec o Dell’Etna having a day out. The support surpassed all expectations with over 70 people attending from just about all over the country.

The day was packed, with speakers managing to cover the essentials before lunch and the audience very kindly holding their questions for the afternoon. Most of the speakers touched on the vexing question of exaggeration in conformation, resulting in a separation between working and show specimens of their breed, both in appearance, structure and ability to function correctly. The use of scent as well as sight when hunting was also explored by Pam Marston-Pollock with her Ibizan Hound.

After an excellent lunch the speakers and their hounds moved outside and everyone was able to look at distinctive movements, compare outlines, and get close up to all the hounds. A measure of the success of the day was that despite the rather ‘soft’ weather and after thanks had been given to the speakers it was at least another hour before most people decided to depart.

My personal thanks go to our guest speakers, to all the AHA Committee for their hard work and to all the people who turned up with their hounds to add to the day. I was grateful to everyone for their kind comments as they left.

31 March, 2012 - Fit For Function Fun Rally

Twenty dogs took part in our first Fit For Function Fun Rally: 18 Afghans, 1 Azawakh, and 1 Silken Windhund. All hounds and all their handlers deserve special thanks for their good humour. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves.